"What kind of person steals a damn cat anyway? How low can this guy be?" Apollo continues down the alleyway, looking for the culprit. Eventually, he notices something and stops, turning around to see no end to the alley on either side. "Didn't I come from that way? There's no entrance…"
Apollo reaches out to touch a wall and gets shocked and pushed back. Starting to panic, he sprints in the opposite direction.
"Stop running, kid!" a voice yells.
"Who said that?" Apollo calls out, reaching for the orb in his pocket.
"Maybe if you'd stay still, I'd tell you." A man walks out of the darkness with his hands up. "Relax, I'm on your side."
"Who are you?" asks Apollo, still holding on to the orb.
"My name's Fabian. Fabian Beck fully. I'm a Warrior."
*Fabian Beck, a 26-year-old C-Rank sensory-type warrior from Ticu. Fabian is 6'2, has short black hair, and a red headband. He came down the alleyway searching for the cat burglar the day before after his cat was stolen but got trapped in the never-ending alley and couldn't escape.*
"What are you doing here?" asks Apollo.
"Well, I was looking for my cat. Some guys ran off with her yesterday, and I followed them here." replies Fabian, "Been stuck ever since."
"So there's no way out…"
"There might be. I just have no way of testing it. I can sense Spiritual Energy being admitted from outside but have no way to hit it."
"I can hit it. Just guide me where to shoot." Apollo pulls the orb out of his packet. "Release, Stinger." The orb turns into the bow. "I only have three arrows on me, so we can't miss."
"It's pretty far away. Are you sure you can hit it?"
"I have to hit it, no matter what."
"Love the spirit, let's give it a shot."
Apollo pulls out one of his arrows and readies his bow.
"Aim higher… now to the left… a little lower… and a tiny bit more to the left." instructs Fabian, "That should be on target with full power. Shoot when you're ready."
Apollo takes a deep breath. "Bullseye…" The arrow flies from the bow, shooting into the darkness. "So, did I miss it?"
"Wait for it… it's still on the way."
A few seconds later, the arrow strikes the mass of Spiritual Energy. The alley begins to glow and then fades away, leaving Apollo and Fabian in front of an old shack.
"Where are we..." says Apollo.
"I have no idea, but stay alert. We don't know what's out here." orders Fabian, "Let's check it out; stay behind me."
"There will be no need for that." a voice says from within the shack.
"Kid, get back!" Fabian tackles Apollo to the ground, and a knife flies past where they were standing. It then disappears and reappears above Fabian and shoots towards him again. "Shit… I'm not fast enough to dodge it…"
"Bullseye!"
Fabian looks over at Apollo, who has rolled over onto his knees. Apollo fires a shot at the oncoming dagger, knocking it off target.
"What incredible reaction time!" Fabian thinks, "For this kid to be so young, too."
"Mr. Fabian, are you alright!?" shouts Apollo.
"I'm fine, thanks to you." replies Fabian, "Sorry I froze; it won't happen again."
"It's okay, but I only have one arrow left now. What should we do?"
"Yes, what shall you do?" A man walks out of the shack. "Congrats on surviving that attack. But you won't survive the next."
"Who are you?" asks Fabian.
"I suppose I can disclose my name since you won't leave here alive. My name is Xander Krueger."
*Xander Krueger is 24 years old. He has long black hair and a scar under his left eye. Xander grew up with his grandpa after his parents abandoned him at birth. He lived a happy, carefree life up until his grandpa got sick, and since he was too young, he had no way to earn money for his grandpa's medicine. After deciding there was no other option, Xander turned to a life of stealing to afford the medicine. Unfortunately, his grandpa found out about his crimes and tried to turn him in, but Xander snapped and killed him, took the rest of the money, and ran away at age 13. He is now obsessed with money and will do anything to get it.*
"And what is your goal, Xander?"
"Simple. Getting as much money as possible. That's all. I steal cats and resell them on the villain web for easy cash."
"The villain web… what's that?"
"There's no point in explaining something you can't access. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be disposing of your worthless lives now… Seek them out, Riko!"
Xander named his knife Riko after his late grandpa, and it is also the name of his custom Trait. With Riko, he can control any weapon he has placed a blood seal upon within a 15-meter radius. The weapons can teleport freely within the 15 meters and seek out Xander's enemies.
Riko reappears in front of Apollo, and Fabian pushes him out of the way again, this time getting grazed on the arm.
"Kid, get some distance and ready your final arrow! If you get an opening, take him out!"
"O- Okay!" Apollo runs off to the side of the shack.
"You and me, one on one." says Fabian, taking a dagger out of his pocket, "Let's go."
"Oh, you do seem confident. Do you have what it takes to back it up?"
"Come and find out." Fabian sprints towards Xander, blocking Riko's attacks with his dagger.
"Did you really think I'd be defenseless? Come here, Riko!"
Riko returns to Xander's hand. Although it's a range-based Trait, whenever Riko is handheld, Xander's speed increases.
"Mr. Beck, watch out!" Apollo shouts.
"I'll be fine." replies Fabian, parrying an attack, "Focus on taking a shot."
Xander swings but gets parried again. "Impossible… Even with Riko's buff, I'm not fast enough to land an attack… Is he using a Trait?"
Xander jumps back, throws Riko, and pulls two blades out of his pockets. "If I can't beat him with just hand-to-hand combat, I'll switch back to ranged… Seek him out, Riko!"
"Backing up already?" asks Fabian, "In that case… I should fully activate my Trait to close the distance…" Fabian stands still, closes his eyes, and slows his breathing. Opening his eyes, he walks towards Xander, parrying Riko without looking at it.
"Why is he walking?" Apollo wonders, "And how is he blocking the dagger without even looking at it?"
"Stay ready, kid. Focus on the enemy, not me." Fabian orders.
"How did he know I looked away…"
"You're starting to piss me off. I won't let you get any closer." says Xander, "The next attack will mark the end for you."
Fabian continues walking forward, ignoring Xander.
"Hmph, ten should be enough. Riko, kick it up to ten!" Xander shouts.
Riko duplicates itself into ten. With every duplication, it becomes harder for Xander to control, draining him of more Spiritual Energy. However, it was not enough. Fabian continued walking despite not being able to parry all ten daggers. With scrapes and cuts all over his arms, legs, and chest, Fabian walked on.
"You aren't going to make it to him, Mr. Beck! Nothing is stopping him from backing up!" Fabian ignores Apollo. "Mr. Beck!"
"Just stop walking and die!" shouts Xander, taking steps backward, "Riko, kick it up to fifteen!" Riko duplicates five more times, and Fabian takes even more damage.
"What do I do?" thinks Apollo, "He won't last like this! I have to take my shot!" Apollo readies his bow with the final arrow.
"Do not shoot a shot that won't hit!" yells Fabian.
"But I-"
"Focus, kid!"
Apollo lowers his bow.
"I've had enough of this! Riko, kick it up to fifty!" Riko duplicates into fifty identical versions of himself. They teleport all over the place uncontrollably, hitting both Fabian and Xander.
"Is he crazy? He's going to kill them both!" thinks Apollo.
"Kid, now!" Suddenly, Fabian dissolves into the air, and his real body appears behind Xander and grabs him.
"Let go of me!" shouts Xander, struggling to escape.
"What is going on…"
Xander and Fabian continued to get hammered by daggers, and at this point, Fabian looks to be on his last legs.
"Shoot!"
"But I might-"
"It doesn't matter, shoot!"
Apollo aims his bow and fires his last arrow, hitting Xander in the chest. Both men fall to the ground, and all the Riko clones and the darkness surrounding the shack fade away.
"Mr. Beck, are you okay!" shouts Apollo, running up to the grounded men.
“Riko… seek him out…” Riko rises from the ground behind Apollo and flies towards his head. Just before making contact, Fabian manages to limp in front of the dagger and take the hit. "Son of a bitch…" Xander mumbles before passing out.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Apollo apologizes, "I'll get help as fast as possible!"
"Hey, kid… make sure to return all the cats… to their rightful owners."
"Not until I get you some help! I'll be right back!"
"Don't bother… I-"
Before hearing the end of the sentence, Apollo runs off.
"I'll likely bleed out…" Fabian finishes, closing his eyes and smiling.
Apollo returns with help shortly after, and Fabian and Xander are rushed to the hospital. Although he wanted to go to the hospital, Apollo keeps his word and returns all the missing cats. After getting rid of most of them, he is left with two cats: Sona, the one he promised to save, and Fabian's cat, Mittens.
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